- 31Now I finish my prophesying to you, my dear people. I can only write a few things about what I know will certainly happen, and also a few of my brother Jacob’s words. 2I’m satisfied with what I’ve written, except for a few words I must say about Christ’s doctrine. Therefore I’ll speak to you clearly and directly so you’ll understand my prophesying. 3My soul delights in clarity and candor since this is how the Lord God works among mankind. The Lord God gives light to the intellect, speaking to people in their language so they can understand. 4I want you to remember that I’ve told you about the prophet the Lord showed to me who would baptize the Lamb of God, the Redeemer of this fallen creation.
- 5Now if the Lamb of God, being holy, needed to be baptized by water to fulfill all righteousness, then how much more do we, being unholy, need to be baptized by water! 6I want to ask you, my dear people, how did the Lamb of God fulfill all righteousness by being baptized by water? 7Don’t you know that He was holy? However, despite being holy, He showed mankind that in the flesh He humbled Himself before the Father and witnessed to the Father that He was willing to obey Him by keeping His commandments. 8After He was baptized with water, the Holy Ghost descended upon Him in the form of a dove. 9This shows mankind the precise path and the exact gate through which they were to enter, since He provides the example for them. 10He has told mankind: Follow Me. Therefore, my dear people, can we follow Jesus without being willing to keep the Father’s commandments? 11The Father says: Repent, repent, and be baptized in the name of My Beloved Son. 12And the voice of the Son also spoke to me, saying: The Father will give the Holy Ghost to those who are baptized in My name, just like He did to Me. Therefore follow Me and do the things you’ve seen Me do. 13So, my dear people, I know if you follow the Son with all your heart — without being hypocritical or deceptive before God but acting with pure intent, repenting of your sins, showing to the Father you are willing to take upon yourselves the name of Christ by baptism, by following your Lord and Savior down into the water according to His word — then you will receive the Holy Ghost. Then the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost comes, and then you can speak the words of angels and shout praises to the Holy One of Israel.
- 14But, my dear people, the Son’s voice came to me, saying: After you’ve repented of your sins and shown to the Father by the baptism of water that you’re willing to keep My commandments and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost and can speak in a new language — indeed, even in the language of angels — and then you deny Me, it would have been better for you not to have known Me. 15And I heard the Father’s voice, saying: Yes, the words of My Beloved are true and faithful: Anyone who endures to the end will be saved. 16Now, my dear people, I know by this that unless a person endures to the end in following the example of the Son of the living God, they can’t be saved. 17Therefore do the things I’ve told you that I saw your Lord and Redeemer will do. They’ve been shown to me for this purpose, so you’ll know the gate through which you’re to enter. And the gate you’re to enter is repentance and baptism by water, and then a remission of your sins comes by fire and by the Holy Ghost. 18Then you’re on the straightforward and narrow path that leads to eternal life — indeed, you’ve entered through the gate. You’ve acted in accordance with the commandments of the Father and the Son, and you’ve received the Holy Ghost promised to you once you entered through the way, which testifies of the Father and Son.
- 19Now, my dear people, after you’ve made your way onto this straightforward and narrow path, I want to ask if everything is done? I tell you: No. Because you’ve only come to this point by Christ’s word, with unshaken faith in Him, relying exclusively on the merits of Him who’s powerful to save. 20Therefore you must press on resolutely with constancy, purpose, and a firm belief in Christ, having a complete brightness of hope and a love for God and for all mankind. This is what the Father has said: If you press forward, feasting on Christ’s word, and persevere to the end, you will have eternal life.
- 21Now, my dear people, this is the way. And there’s no other way or name given under heaven by which mankind can be saved in God’s kingdom. This is Christ’s doctrine, and the only true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which are united as one God without end. Amen.
Chapter 13